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theatre · Wednesday 22 July 2026 · 8pm 
Calendar Girls
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
At Watergate Theatre · Parliament Street, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
Calendar Girls is one of those stories that keeps finding new audiences, and it is easy to see why. Based on the true tale of a group of Women’s Institute members in Yorkshire who posed for an unconventional fundraising calendar after a friend’s husband died, it balances real grief with sharp comedy and genuine warmth. The Watergate Theatre Collective brings it to Kilkenny for four nights in July 2026, with a cast of 14 and direction from Christine Scarry. It suits a night out with friends, a birthday treat, or anyone who wants proper theatre that makes them laugh and feel something at the same time.
The play follows Annie and her best friend Chris, who decide to raise money for a new settee in a local hospital waiting room after Annie’s husband John loses his battle with leukaemia. Their solution - persuading five fellow WI members to pose nude for a calendar with the help of a hospital photographer - starts as a small act of kindness and snowballs into something neither of them expected. The script by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow (adapted from the original play and film) is funny, moving, and never preachy. The Watergate Theatre Collective is the resident amateur company at the Watergate and regularly stages productions of this calibre, drawing on strong local talent. The venue itself is a 324-seat house, with a balcony, so there is not a bad view in the room. If you want to make an evening of it, the €30 Ticket and Prosecco option gets you a glass of prosecco to take to your seat - a nice touch for a show that celebrates women making the most of things.
Kilkenny city is well served by road and rail. The theatre sits on Parliament Street, a short walk from the town centre and from Kilkenny train station. Dublin Heuston to Kilkenny takes around 90 minutes by Irish Rail, with regular evening services. By road from Dublin, the M9 brings you to Kilkenny in under two hours. Street parking in the city can be tight on summer evenings, so the Kilkenny Shopping Centre multi-storey on Market Cross or the John Street car park are the more reliable options within easy walking distance of the theatre.
Kilkenny city rewards an early arrival - the medieval mile, the castle, and the lanes around High Street are all within a few minutes’ walk of the theatre, and there are good places to eat along Parliament Street itself before the show. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Kilkenny area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.